Kidney stones (ureterolithiasis) result from stones or renal calculi in the ureter. The stones are solid concretions or calculi (crystal aggregations) formed in the kidneys from dissolved urinary minerals. Nephrolithiasis refers to the condition of having kidney stones. Urolithiasis refers to the condition of having calculi in the urinary tract (which also includes the kidneys), which may form or pass into the urinary bladder. Ureterolithiasis is the condition of having a calculus in the ureter, the tube connecting the kidneys and the bladder.
Kidney stones typically leave the body by passage in the urine stream, and many stones are formed and passed without causing symptoms. If stones grow to sufficient size before passage on the order of at least 2-3 millimeters they can cause obstruction of the ureter. The resulting obstruction causes dilation or stretching of the upper ureter and renal pelvis as well as muscle spasm of the ureter, trying to move the stone. This leads to pain, most commonly felt in the flank, lower abdomen and groin. Renal colic can be associated with nausea and vomiting. There can be blood in the urine, visible with the naked eye or under the microscope due to damage to the lining of the urinary tract.
There are several types of kidney stones based on the type of crystals of which they consist. The majority are calcium oxalate stones, followed by calcium phosphate stones. More rarely, struvite stones are produced by urea-splitting bacteria in people with urinary tract infections, and people with certain metabolic abnormalities may produce uric acid stones or cystine stones.
Many medicinal plants have been found useful in urinary disorders. Medicinal plants leads to find therapeutically useful compounds, thus more efforts should be made towards isolation and characterization of the active principles and elucidation of the relationship between structure and activity. The combination of traditional and modem knowledge can produce better drugs for kidney stones.
Crataeva nurvala is known in Indian medicine as Varuna. It is a small tree which grows wild along river banks throughout the Indian subcontinent, where it is also widely cultivated. The stem and root bark of this plant are the parts most often used medicinally. Crataeva has been used for centuries in eastern herbal traditions to treat a variety of health disorders. It is especially valued for its therapeutic effect on the urinary organs.
Musa sapientum also known in Indian medicine as Kadali (Banana tree), a native of South East Asia and Australia and which belong to the family musaceae, is a food crop grown in towns and villages in Nigeria. The tropical herb, has been traditionally used as a dietary food against intestinal disorders because of its soft texture and blandness. Every part of this tree has a lot of medicinal values. It helps to promote the retention of calcium, phosphorus and nitrogen which are essential in building up sound and regenerated tissues.
Achyranthes aspera is known in Indian medicine as Apamarg/Aghada. It is a species of plant in the Amaranthaceae family. It is distributed throughout the tropical world. It can be found in many places growing as an introduced species and a common weed. It is an invasive species in some areas, including many Pacific Islands environments.
Barley is a cereal grain derived from the annual grass Hordeum vulgare. Barley has many uses. It serves as a major animal fodder, as base malt for beer and certain distilled beverages, and as a component of various health foods. It is used in soups and stews, and in barley bread of various cultures.
Hordeurn vulgare is known in Indian medicine as Yav/Satu and has medicinal properties for curing kapha, pitta, cough, asthma, urinary retention, urinary tract infection, gastric ulcers, burns, headache, anemia and general debility. It is a good diet in convalescent period.
The herbal preparations for the treatment of kidney stone have been known since long for its safety. Some herbs useful for the treatment of kidney stone are Petroselinum crispum (Parsley), Urtica dioica (Nettle), Taraxacum offcinale (Dandelions), Populus nigra (poplar), Betula alba (birch), Arctostaphylos uva-ursi (bearberry), Menthe (mint), Oryza sativa (Rice), Marshmallow (Althaea officinalis), Curcuma longa (turmeric), Corn (Zea mays).
Further, the herbal preparations remove the kidney stones fast and more effectively without damaging the kidneys. These preparations are cost effective and having lesser side effects than allopathic medicines.
The applicant has disclosed a herbal formulation of a homogenized powdered mixture of extract prepared from bark of a plant selected from Crataeva nurvala and Crataeva magna; and extract prepared from stem of a plant selected from Musa paradisiaca L and Musa sapientum L; along with ash salt of banana root and pharmaceutical acceptable carrier, for the treatment of renal calculi, in his earlier Patent Application No. 2128/MUM/2006.
The applicants still felt a need to improve upon the earlier known herbal composition to achieve enhanced efficacy with more synergic effect and better patient compliance and which is cost effective for the treatment of kidney stone and other urinary disorders like inflammation and urinary stent related problems.